Theatre-maker Lamine Sonko explores Senegalese cosmology in his latest show, Guewel

Theatre-maker Lamine Sonko explores Senegalese cosmology in his latest show, Guewel

When theatre-maker and artist Lamine Sonko moved to Australia 20 years ago, he carried more than a suitcase — he carried a rite.

Born into a lineage where the guewel is a custodian of sacred knowledge, Sonko's initiation into the role became the starting point for his latest work, which invites audiences to witness how culture is kept, shared and felt.

Guewel is not just a show; it's a living transmission of West African cosmology, anchored in rhythm, song and ritual, now unfolding on the Australian stage.

"I hold on to the parts of my culture that I said goodbye to in West Africa; that's what I brought here with me," Sonko tells ABC Arts.